DJB Removes Cap of 10 Water Connections Per Building in Delhi

New Delhi: Delhi Jal Board on Friday decided to remove the restriction of ten water connections to residential multi-storey buildings.

Until Friday, buildings that had more than 10 flats were given a "bulk water connection" and were required to have an underground water tank.

It was also decided in the meeting, chaired by Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, that the DJB would give Rs. 10 lakh compensation to families of all sewer death victims since 1993.

This was the first major meeting of the DJB since Kejriwal took charge of the water resources ministry, a position earlier held by estranged Aam Aadmi Party MLA Kapil Mishra. Sources said that since Kejriwal took over the ministry on September 4, he has held almost daily briefings with DJB officials. During the 2015 Delhi Assembly elections, piped water supply to all colonies was one of his biggest election promises.

"The Board removed the cap of 10-water connections in one building. There are several building in Delhi which have more than 10-flats and thus it was decided to do away with the cap to make every resident get a legal connection irrespective of the number of flats/connections in the building. This will not only help everyone get a valid water connection, but will also get huge number of consumers who were otherwise using illegal connections in the revenue net," a DJB statement said.

Till September 2015, there was a cap of six water connections per building. It was then that the cap was increased from six to ten by the DJB. On Friday, the cap was removed altogether.

The board also approved the setting up of 348 Mohalla Clinics, the AAP government's flagship healthcare programme, on DJB-owned land. It also approved the setting up of 93 decentralised Sewage Treatment Plants (STP), Hydro-power projects worth Rs. 10.49 Crore and the installation of new water and sewer lines in various parts of the national capital.